Thorvald Tenney

1930 - 2019

Thorvald (Skip) Tenney, Amateur Radio Call W1NLB, passed away Sunday August 4, 2019 after a long period of declining health. Tenney was a RiverMead resident.

Tenney was born in Greenwich, CT in 1930 and grew up in Westchester County, NY. He was a graduate of Taft Academy and Yale University and a US Army Veteran serving from 1953-1954.

Early work included Springfield Armory and Eastern Industries where he was a salesman. In the early '60s, Skip bought a farm in Waitsfield VT close to Mad River Glen Ski Area where he enjoyed many winter days skiing which was one of his passions. Another passion was sailing in Long Island Sound in and around the Thimble Islands.

In 1968, Tenney and Jim Fisk, W1DTY, joined forces to publish Ham Radio Magazine, the first amateur magazine that was dedicated solely to state-of-the-art Amateur Radio articles. For twenty three years Ham Radio Magazine set the world wide standard for Amateur Radio technology. Early in the '70s, Skip launched Ham Radio Report, written by Joe Schroeder, W9JUV which was a weekly newsletter that covered breaking news in the amateur business world, DX happenings and the latest news from the FCC. In 1978, reacting to growth in the amateur service, Ham Radio Publishing Group began publishing Ham Radio HORIZONS which appealed to a broader base of Amateur Radio operators as well as old timers looking for less complicated articles.

Skip was a very progressive owner. He ran a health program for his employees where if they road 1,000 bicycle miles in the summer, he would buy them their bicycle and encourage them to continue riding.

In addition to the magazine, Tenney was actively involved with the Village Savings Bank in Greenville as a Trustee.

In June 1990, Tenney wanting to change gears sold Ham Radio Publishing Group to CQ Communications of Hicksville, NY.

In his retirement, Tenney was a farmer in both Waitsfield Vermont and Francestown New Hampshire and continued with his Amateur Radio and photography hobbies.

Skip leaves behind a sister, Susan Tenney Egloff, two daughters, Nancy Tenney and Susan Tenney and was predeceased by his wife Peggy Harwood Tenney.